JIAFM, 2007 29 (3); ISSN: 0971- 0973

Adultery: meanings and interpretations

As professional misconduct, civil and criminal offence in India
*Dr. Mukesh Yadav, M.B.B.S., M.D., LL.B., PGDHR, **Dr. Vinita Kushwaha, MBBS, M.D.
*Professor & HOD,
**Assistant Professor,
Deptt. of Forensic Medicine, Muzaffarnagar Medical College, Muzaffarnagar, U.P.
Email: drmukesh65@yahoo.co.in

Abstract
Forensic medicine teachers taught topic of adultery to medical students as one of the sexual offences,
medicolegal aspect of marriage, and as professional misconduct, which is part of medical ethics. The question is
of safeguarding / protecting socio-ethical value of our society and honour of medical profession. Section 497 IPC
came into existence during the British Rule. It is said that it is against Indian cultural values and not much less
than a slander. Therefore, in independent India it is totally unfair to allow continuing Section 497 IPC in its present
form.
This paper deals with definition, meanings and interpretations of the term adultery used in different context in
medical profession so that clear concept can be understood by every member of medical fraternity. Thus, help in
preventing unnecessary problems faced by doctors in day to day practice.
Key words: Adultery, Civil Offence, Criminal Offence, Professional Misconduct, Improper Conduct, Improper
Association, Immorality, Infidelity, Sexual Harassment at Work Place.
respondent (in the case of criminal offence, the wife)
was a consenting party. In short, the sexual
intercourse must be consensual. If the respondent did
not consent, just as when she was raped, it would not
amount to adultery. Sexual intercourse with the
respondent, when he, or she is unconscious, or under
influence of drug or liquor, will also not amount to
adultery. Similarly, sexual intercourse in the belief that
the adulterer is his or her spouse will also negate the
charge of adultery. [3]
The recently drafted National Policy, however, tries to
remove the apparent discrimination while pitching for
adultery as a social offence for both male and female
offenders. [4]

Introduction:
The accepted meaning of adultery in relation with
matrimonial law in India is as follows: Adultery may
be defined as consensual sexual intercourse
between a married person and a person of the
opposite sex, not the other spouse, during the
subsistence of marriage. [1]
The Indian Penal Code defines adultery as Whoever
has sexual intercourse with a person who is and
whom he knows or has reason to believe to be the
wife of another man, without the consent or
connivance of that man, such sexual intercourse not
amounting to the offence of rape, is guilty of the
offence of adultery, and shall be punished with
imprisonment of either description for a term which
may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both. In
such case the wife shall not be punishable as abettor.
[2]
The framers of the Code did not make adultery an
offence punishable under the code. But the Second
Law Commission, after giving mature consideration to
the subject, came to conclusion that it was not
advisable to exclude this offence from the Code.
Adultery figures in the penal law of many nations, and
some of the most celebrated English lawyers have
considered its omission from the English law a defect.
[2]
Under both the criminal law and matrimonial law,
adultery is an offence against marriage and therefore,
in both cases it is essential that at the time of the
offence a valid marriage was subsisting. To constitute
the offence of adultery it is also necessary that the

Global Scenario:
Recently a Cambodian Court sentenced in absentia to
18 months in prison in an embezzlement lawsuit, to
the Prince, and a former Prime Minister of Combodia,
Norodom Ranariddh, who has been charged with
adultery for having a mistress while he is still legally
married to his wife. The Prince is currently living in
France, faces up to a year in prison and fines of up to
$245. Sok Kalyan, a prosecutor at the Phnom Penh
Municipal Court, filed the charge against the Prince.
He alleged Ranariddh has committed adultery with
his legally married wife Marie Ranariddh by
abandoning her to live with his mistress Ouk Phalla, a
former Cambodian classical dancer. The Prince also
has a three-years-old son with the mistress. [5]
The charge, stemming from a recent lawsuit from
Marie, was filed under an adultery law that was
adopted by Prime Minister Hun Sens rulling party-

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JIAFM, 2007 29 (3); ISSN: 0971- 0973

professional position by committing adultery or
improper conduct with a patient or by maintaining an
improper association with a patient will render a
physician liable for disciplinary action as provided
under the Indian Medical Council Act (IMC Act)
1956 or the concerned State Medical Council Act
(SMC Act). [8] here meaning of adultery is very broad
and includes not only the improper conduct by a
doctor with his or her patient but also cover
maintaining improper association with a patient.
In this way to maintain noble traditions of medical
profession term adultery is used as a prohibitory
conduct on the part of the doctor both male and
female and declared as a punishable act under the
IMC Act or concerned SMC Act, as the case may be.
It prescribes punishment for both male and female
doctors equally as contrast to the term adultery used
in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 497, which
provides punishment only to the alleged accused.
From professional misconduct point of view term
adultery involves doctors (both male and female),
patient (both male and female) and their attendants,
etc. here it is not necessary that any of the party
involved in alleged offence is married or not. Again
consent of any of the party is no defense to escape
the liability for punishment. Degree of association is
not defined it may very from consensual sexual inter
course to any unwanted degree of physical
relationship.
In a study Sexual Harassment at Work Place:
Experiences of Women in the Health Sector,
conducted by a Researcher, shows that as many as
45: reported psychological harassment, 41: verbal
harassment, 21: unwanted touch and 16: sexual
gestures and exhibitionism. The study also revealed
that just 20 of the 135 women interviewed over a
period of 11 months by Population Council
researcher, were aware of the Supreme Courts
Guidelines on sexual harassment. Whats worse,
none of them had heard of a Complaints Committee
for Redressal of their grievances. Several of the
respondents also expressed their skepticism about
the Grievances Committees effectiveness. The study
[9, 10] revealed victims were sexually harassed by
not only their co-workers but also by patients and
their relatives. For over a century courts tried
thousands for the offence of outraging the
modesty of a woman without a precise definition of
what constitutes a womans modesty, and now, the
SC has finally defined modesty. Its definition: The
essence of a womans modesty is her sex. [11]

dominated legislature in August-2006. Supporters of

the law have said it is intended to make married
couples live in harmony, happiness and with
dignity. [5]
But its opponents have said it is unnecessary while
Cambodian has other higher priorities to tackle, such
as corruption and poverty. Muth Chantha, A
spokesman for Ranarriddh, described the adultery
charge as politically motivated to prevent the prince
from returning to take part fully in political activity in
Cambodia. [5]

Adultery as a Professional Misconduct:

Current Scenario in UK:
Doctors and nurses in the UK will be banned from
having sexual relationships with former patients.
Health professionals will only be allowed to date those
they have previously treated when the clinical contact
they had with each other was minimal. New
guidelines will formally set out the sexual boundaries
between doctors, nurses and patients for the first time:
following a string of sex abuse scandals. [6]

Reasons for formulating guidelines on

sexual boundaries between doctors,
nurses and patients in UK:
There have been a number of disturbing cases in
recent years including Folkestone GP Clifford Ayling
who was able to continue working despite complaints
spanning 30 years. He was jailed for four years in
December 2003 on 13 counts of indecent assault
between 1991 and 1998. Ayling repeatedly convinced
women they needed intimate examinations, and then
sexually abused them. Many of Aylings patients
complained that he was overtly sexual in his
behaviour, and colleagues were aware of the
concerns. But a report into the case said there was
little guidance as to how the NHS (National Health
Services) should deal with such concerns. Similarly,
an inquiry showed a 30-year history of abuse of
women psychiatric patients by Dr. William Kerr
and Dr. Michael Haslam at Clifton Psychiatric
Hospital, York.
As a result the Department of Health commissioned
CHRE to bring in clear guidance for health
professionals on acceptable behaviour. The draft
guidance was drawn up by a project team run by the
CHRE, which included clinicians, victims of abuse,
royal colleges and representatives from healthcare
regulatory bodies. UK Health Ministers are expected
to approve the guidance from the Council for
Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) in June2007. [7]
Indian Scenario:
Term adultery found mention in code of medical
ethics-2002 [8] under the heading Adultery or
improper conduct which described it as: Abuse of

Adultery meaning as per Criminal Law:

A person who has sexual intercourse with a
womans consent who is and whom he knows or

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JIAFM, 2007 29 (3); ISSN: 0971- 0973

b. Person committing adultery must also know or
should have reason to believe that the woman
with whom he has had intercourse is the wife of
another man, and
c. The sexual intercourse should not amount to rape,
i.e., the intercourse must be with the consent of
the woman.

has reason to believe to be the wife of another man,

does not amount to rape. He is guilty of adultery under
Section 497 IPC provided it is without the consent
or connivance of her husband. This obviously means
that if a man has sexual intercourse with the consent
of the woman along with the consent of her husband,
then he neither commits the crime of rape nor is guilty
of adultery.
In the Indian context, such a situation is highly
condemnable if a married woman establishes physical
relationship with another man. It is equally disgraceful
if a man allows his wife to become bed partner of
another man. There are a number of cases in which a
married woman, when caught in compromising
position with another man, reported police against
man for committing rape in order to escape from the
charges of immorality or infidelity and tried to prove
herself innocent. On trial in Court of Law, evidence
revealed that the woman was a consenting participant
where as the husband had not consented. In this way
the offence of rape could not be proved and in spite of
the fact that the husband had not consented, the man
could not be held guilty under Section 497 IPC.
The reason is technical. The offence under Section
497 IPC is not cognizable and no Court is
empowered to take cognizance of the offence under
this section unless the womans husband makes a
complaint according to Section 198 Cr PC, 1973. The
cognizance of offence under Section 497 IPC can be
taken only if the concerned womans husband
complaints, otherwise not. Because such a woman
lodged the report of rape, the accused could not be
held guilty under Section 497 IPC and since she was
found to be a consenting party the accused was
acquitted of the charges u/s 376 IPC. Thus, in spite of
committing the crime of adultery, the accused was left
unpunished. [R-2][12]
In one case [13]in which the accused was charged
and convicted for committing rape u/s/ 376 IPC by trial
Court but in appeal the High Court was pleased to
hold that accused had sexual intercourse with the free
consent of the woman but without her husbands
consent or connivance. Hence, conviction u/s 376 IPC
was quashed and accused / appellant was held guilty
of the offence of adultery and convicted under Section
497 IPC. The scholars of law very much doubt the
legality of the judgment in the light of Section 198 Cr
PC.
Adultery Civil vis--vis Criminal Offence:
Under the Criminal Law adultery is a criminal offence.
But the definition and scope is different.
The main differentiating features between these two
definitions are that:
a. In criminal law only a man not a woman can
commit offence of adultery,

Adultery as matrimonial offence:

Before the coming into force of the Marriage Laws
(Amendment) Act, 1976 living in adultery was a
ground of divorce. On the other hand, a petitioner
could obtain a decree of judicial separation, if he
could show that his spouse, after the solemnization of
the marriage, had sexual intercourse with any person
other than his spouse. Now adultery simpliciter has
been made ground for divorce as well as judicial
separation. The new clause has been worded as:
has after the solemnization of the marriage, had
voluntary sexual intercourse with any person other
than his or her spouse.
The criminal case cannot be brought against the
woman but only against the man involved in adultery.
The wife is not guilty of offence, not even as abettor.
While in matrimonial law when a petition is filed for the
matrimonial relief of judicial separation or divorce, on
the ground of adultery, though in most systems,
adulterer, if known, is a necessary party to
proceedings and must be made a co-respondent. The
High Court rules the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955,
require that the adulterer should be made a corespondent. [3]
In a petition for divorce, it is not necessary, nor is it
material, to prove that the correspondent had
knowledge or reason to believe that the respondent
was the wife or husband of the petitioner. If the
respondent had intercourse with the co-respondent
with the full knowledge that he or she was not his or
her wife or husband, then it is enough. It may be
emphasized that the matrimonial court is not much
concerned with the knowledge of the respondent that
co-respondent was not his or his spouse. Thus, if the
co-respondent had intercourse with a married woman
personating to be her husband and the respondent
taking him to be her husband had intercourse with
him, she is not guilty of the matrimonial offence of
adultery, though the co-respondent may be guilty of
criminal offence of adultery. [3]
One single act of adultery is enough for divorce or
judicial separation. [14, 15, 16, 17]To constitute extramarital sexual intercourse, is it necessary to prove full
or partial penetration? In English law it has been said
that there must be at least be partial penetration for
the
act
of
adultery
to
be
proved.[18]

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the addresses of prostitutes and was seen with lewd
women, would neither prove nor probablize adultery.
[38] Similarly, mere admission of the wife in crossexamination will not be enough. [38]Modern view is
that adultery may be proved by preponderance of
probability. [39-42]

It is clear that a mere attempt of sexual intercourse

will not amount to adultery. In Indian law it seems to
be the established position that actual penetration
need not be proved. The unwritten taboos and rules
of social morality in this country and unrelated person
is found alone with a young wife, after midnight in her
bed-room in actual physical juxtaposition unless there
is some explanation forthcoming for this, which is
compatible with an innocent interpretation, the only
inference that a court of law can draw must be that the
two were committing an act of adultery together. [19]
The sexual intercourse contemplated by the clause is
an intercourse with a third person, i.e. non-spouse.
Thus, intercourse with the wives of pre-Act
polygamous marriage will not amount to extra-marital
intercourse. But if the second marriage is void, then
intercourse with the second wife will amount to extramarital intercourse within the meaning of the clause.
Proof of adultery and burden of proof:
The burden of proof is on the petitioner. At one time
he was required to prove it beyond all reasonable
doubts, [20-23] but today it can be proved by
preponderance of probabilities. Proof beyond all
reasonable doubts, means such proof as precludes
every reasonable hypothesis except that which tends
to support it. [24-26]
It need not reach certainty, but must carry a high
degree or probability. It is also an established rule that
it is generally difficult to adduce direct evidence of
adultery and usually the circumstantial evidence is
sufficient. [27] However, if direct evidence is reliable, it
may be proved by direct evidence. When a person
says that he saw the respondent and adulterer
sleeping together in the night, it is sufficient proof of
adultery. [28, 29] (Mere allegations are not sufficient).
But direct evidence, even when produced, is looked
down upon with disfavour. It is highly improbable that
any person can be witness to such acts, which are
generally performed, in utmost secrecy. [30] The fact
that a married woman has been absenting herself
from her house for four to six days at a stretch and
has been seen more than once with a total stranger,
there being no explanation for this, leads to an
irresistible conclusion that she had committed
adultery. [31] However, the circumstances must
satisfy that regarded together they lead to an
irresistible inference that adultery must have been
committed - Mukherji, J. [32-35]
If adultery is ought to be proved by non-access, then
circumstances of non-access should be such as
would lead a reasonable man to no other
inference.[36] Mere vasectomy is not a proof of
adultery: proper semen test must also be taken. [37]
General evidence of the ill-repute of husband or of the
lewed company that he keeps, or even that he knows

Current Scenario in India:

Adultery should be treated as breach of trust and
treated
as
civil
offence,
according
to
a
recommendation made by the National Commission
for Women (NCW). Giving this information, Law
Minister, H.R. Bhardwaj, however, told the Rajya
Sabha on Monday (March 5, 2007) that the
amendment in law should take place only after
building a national consensus. The Ministry of Women
and Child Development is examining the matter, the
Minister said. [43, 44]
Adultery is treated as a criminal offence under the
existing provision in Section 497 of IPC, 1860, where
the wife, who is involved in adultery, is not punishable
as an abettor, Bharadwaj said.
NCW had been asked by the Centre to give its view
on the laws related to adultery. The Commission was
of the view that there might be many instances where
woman wanted to save the marriage and saw the
adulterous relationship as an aberration. The issue of
adultery should be viewed as a breach of trust, but a
final view could only be taken after a public discussion
on the issue. [43, 44]
The Commission had also been asked by the Centre
to review Section 497 IPC, which does not envisage
prosecution of the wife by the husband for adultery.
The Section provides expressly that the wife shall not
be punishable even as an abettor based on the
reasoning that the wife, who is involved in an illicit
relationship with another man, is a victim and not the
author of the crime.
The NCW member said, We think that adultery
should not be treated as a criminal offence but a civil
offence. She added that women are in a relatively
socially dis-empowered position and instead laws to
protect women must be strengthened. [43, 44] The
attempt to treat adultery as a social rather than a
criminal offence moved further with the Union Home
Minister making a detailed presentation on the issue
before MPs on 04-05-2007. The matter was put
before the lawmakers for the first time after it became
part of the draft National Policy on Criminal Justice,
which among other criminal offences like attempt to
suicide, drunken brawl and drunken driving. [4]
Though the MPs, who attended a consultative
committee meeting, did not firm up any opinion on
adultery, they are learnt to have responded positively
to the draft national policy. The meeting

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JIAFM, 2007 29 (3); ISSN: 0971- 0973

positive response in terms of taking up all the points of
the draft policy at the next Consultative Committee
Meeting sent the right signal. [4]
The Draft Committee, Headed by Menon, will take
into account these suggestions while finalizing the
final policy. Subsequently, the matter will be taken
before the Cabinet for bringing suitable amendments
in the existing laws. Rajya Sabha member P.C.
Alexander and Lok Sabha Member Nikhil Kumar,
Mohanbhai Delkar and Sarbananda Sonow, also took
part in the deliberations. [4]

was presided over by Home Ministry, Shivraj Patil who

promised to take up the deliberations further before
arriving at the final policy on criminal justice. [4]
During the presentation by Additional Secretary, Anita
Chaudhary, it was emphasized that number of
offences, including adultery and drunken driving,
should be decriminalized with a view to taking
corrective measures through community participation.
She took the draft, a reference which points out that
the tort action may remedy the injury and civil
disabilities can deter persons from such conducts
(adultery, drunken driving and drunken brawl). [4]
At present, all these crimes are criminal offences,
which attract punishment ranging from one to five
years with fines. As far the most debated offence
among the categories: adultery: is concerned, the
existing section 497 IPC provided for jail up to five
years and fine. However, the punishment can be
given only to a man, leaving out woman from the
ambit of punishment. The National Commission for
Women (NCW) had opposed the proposal to amend
Section 497 IPC to bring women also under the
purview, a move that triggered a national debate on
the issue due to it being discriminatory in nature.
[Constitutional provisions in favour of women in
India] [4]
Although none of the MPs present at the meeting
refereed to the controversial issue, the very
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

Summary and Conclusions:

If amendment in Section 375 IPC is done, then there
would be no need of Section 497 IPC and Section 198
(1) to (5) Cr PC because the crime adultery will come
under the crime of rape only. In this way a person who
has sexual intercourse with a woman to whom she is
not lawfully married, will never escape punishment
through loopholes mentioned. [2, 12]
Authors of books on this topic especially of Forensic
Medicine specialty make this distinction in meaning of
the term adultery clear, so that there should not be
any confusion in understanding on the part of medical
students. But before any amendment in criminal law
great deliberation by intellectuals and other sections
of
society
is
the
need
of
hour.

References:

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Ratanlal and Dhirajlal. The Indian Penal Code, 20th Edition1997: 673-675.
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Lachman v. Meena, 1964 S.C. 40.
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Akkamma v. Jaganathan, 1981 A.P. 209;
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Subbarama Saraswati, (1966) 2 M.L.J. 263.
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Vira Reddy v. Kistamma, 1969 Mad. 235.
Om Prakash v. Roshan, 1985 P. & H. 364.
Chiruthakutty v. Subramanian, 1987 Ker. 5.
Henderson v. Henderson, 1970 Mad. 104.
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38